August 2017 Overview of A.W. Faber-Castell Slide Rule Dating Chronology 1892-1920 Colin Tombeur Background This article is one of a series which details the early slide rules of A.W. Faber-Castell (hereafter referred to as Faber). The series, by Trevor Catlow and myself, is based on our research collaboration and the resulting development and analysis of a database of slide rule specimens, as described in [1]. Although Faber began production with just one known slide rule model, they quickly developed their designs, production processes and model range. Due the scarcity of detailed reliable information, dating these slide rules before Faber introduced blind date stamps has been difficult. Trevor ’s 2009 JOS article [2] and subsequent 2013 update [3] were the first major steps in rectifying this situation. Although broadly correct, Trevor’s findings were based largely on the limited number of slide rules from this time in his collection. As a result his scope was limited, a fact that he acknowledged in his articles. Our collaboration has produced a more comprehensive chronology of changes to features on these early slide rules, based on the study of many more specimens, cataloguing and dating as many changes as possible. This article gives an overview of feature changes between the beginning of slide rule production in 1892 [4] and the introduction of date stamps on the rules in 1920 [5]. We have been able to supply an approximate year, or span of years, for the changes, which we believe to be accurate to within a year or so. Planned further articles in the series will describe particular areas of focus and the chronology of feature changes in much greater detail. A slide rule can only be as old as the introduction of its most recent feature, and as young as the earliest time a feature present on it was phased out. [1] A slide rule without a blind stamp can be given an approximate date range of the completion of its manufacture by comparing and aligning its features with the Chronology Chart below. In theory all of the date ranges of features on a specimen should overlap at some point on the chart and an approximate date of manufacture can easily be established. Occasionally however, due to peculiarities in the design and manufacturing process this is not the case, but a manufacture date can still be estimated using the above guideline from the latest overlapping range of features. Particular care should be taken when considering cursors and boxes which may have been replaced with non-original items. Unless a definite connection can be established, for example by the addition of names or dates by a previous owner, these items should be considered as confirming, rather than defining, the dating. Introducing the Chronology Chart The Chronology Chart has rows detailing slide rule features, grouped into the following five categories: STOCK & SLIDE , SCALES , CURSOR , TEXT & LABELS and BOX . Each feature may have several manifestations. Some of the features have references to chart notes , either a single character for further description, e.g. (a), or two characters for picture examples, e.g. (aa). The columns indicate an approximate year, or year range, when a change occurred , ‘ Change Point ’, prefixed with ‘c’ (circa). Where it has not been possible to define change points unambiguously for certain features, some year ranges overlap others. Such cases are highlighted in light blue, and special care should be taken when comparing features around these points. In the main body of the chart, features that are present at the change points are indicated by solid green shading. Thus an approximate start point, when the feature first appeared on slide rules, and end point (unless it was ongoing after 1920), when it was phased out, can be determined for each feature. Orange shading indicates an unknown status, where there is insufficient or no evidence to determine whether a feature was present or not. The green shading is either dark, indicating a generic presence across all slide rules - 1 -
Overview of A.W. Faber-Castell Slide Rule Dating Chronology 1892-1920 current at that time, or one of two lighter shades, indicating that the presence is specific to a certain set of slide rules. Where the presence is specific, the set is indicated inside the shading either with text or, when there is insufficient space, as a reference to a one or two digit chart note (e.g. 10.). Sets are generally models (e.g. ‘350, 360, 365’), model exclusions (e .g. ‘not 350, 360, 365’ ), languages (e.g. ‘German’, ‘non - German’) or models of certain scale length or construction (e.g. ’50 cm scale’, ‘not 50 cm scale’, ‘all - wood’, ‘not all - wood’). While it is possible to use the chart for dating without knowing a model number, it is easier if the model is known. If present, the model number is the three digit number on the front of the slide rule before the maker ’ s name. If this number is not present, the model can be quickly established using the guide at the end of this article. Referring to the first few rows of the Chronology Chart, examples of the above conventions for representing specific changes can be seen. In row 1, it is shown that a 15 cm stock length is found only on models with a 12.5 cm scale length, from c1907-8 onwards. Row 2 shows that a 26.4 cm stock was seen only in c1892. The dark green colouration of this cell indicates that “all current models” were of this length (even though in fact only one model actually existed at the time). Row 3 shows that the generic stock length changed to 26 cm in c1892-3. Row 4 shows that stocks with a length of 28 cm were introduced in c1899 for the six models indicated. Referring back to row 3, the 26 cm stock length is no longer generic but specific to models 350, 360 and 365 from this time until c1909 (although this does not define the date of the introduction of these models, see below). In c1907, note 1 indicates that a different subset of models had the 28cm stock, and this subset changed again in c1910. Row 5 shows that the model 368 had a 28.5 cm stock between c1907 and c1910-11. As previously indicated, the dates of the change points are approximate to within a year or so, however some features are known to crossover around specific years, particularly those involving registered designs and patents. In this case, the shading is crosshatched to indicate a possible presence or not in the change point, or a transition to an unknown status. In addition, crosshatching is used where there is potential ambiguity due to an overlap in change points (those highlighted in blue). For example, “Cursor grooves – above both top and bottom edge rulers”. This feature was true of all slide rules from c1903 -4 ongoing, with the exception of the 368 from c1906 to c1910-11 when it was withdrawn. Therefore from c1903-4 up to c1906 and from c1911 to the end, this feature is coloured dark green (generic), and the chronological points in-between, c1906 to c1910-11, are light green (specific) with the model 368 indicated. The overlap change points c1908-13, c1910- 12 and c1910-13 are crosshatched light and dark green to indicate a crossover in these periods. The chronology is necessarily complex because features can be specific to certain sets of slide rules, or there can be different evolutionary timescales for a particular feature for different sets of rules. In order to simplify, the model specific notes do not necessarily indicate exactly when models were introduced, since this is often unclear. Therefore, generally, the chronology should not be used for this purpose [6]. However some models were introduced with dateable model defining features, for example the 360 with the introduction of celluloid scales, the 367 with its digit registering cursor , and the 368 ‘electro’ model. Our chronology does not claim to be definitive, but Trevor and I believe we have reached a point of stability in our findings. Nevertheless, if any of our readers can provide additional information, please do contact us, our details can be found in the UKSRC membership directory. Assigning Model Numbers to Faber Slide Rules From c1908 to well after 1920 Faber slide rules carried a three digit model number, beginning with a ‘3’, and followed by a ‘*’ before the maker’s name, for example “368 * A.W. FABER.” . Before this, model numbers did not appear on the slide rules themselves although they are known to have existed, appearing in manuals and catalogues, from around 1895 [7]. It is unclear if the very first slide rules made between 1892 and 1895 were assigned model numbers, but examples show marked similarities to the model identified as the 350 in 1895, so for the purpose of identification these first slide rules are also considered as the model 350. For the seventeen models that were in production between 1892 and c1908, and therefore did not carry a model number, this guide enables the number to be determined. Using Table 1 it is easy to identify the model - 2 -
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